Ex-Ferrari bosses are backing Mattia Binotto with Jean Todt suggesting the team is only lacking “some parts of the puzzle”.
The Italian team is currently in the midst of its worst season since 2009, as a substantial loss of engine performance and an underwhelming chassis leaves them sitting down in sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
As a result, Ferrari has now ruled out any further victories until 2022 at the earliest when the regulations will change significantly.
But when people talk of a crisis at Maranello, Todt believes that is overblown
“I have a good understanding of the situation,” said the current FIA president at Mugello.
“I saw some reports, people keep saying it’s the same [but] it’s a completely different situation than the one I found when I arrived in July 1993.
“Honestly, I wish I would have found the situation of today. My life would have been much easier.”
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Rather than the sweeping changes he introduced, which eventually led to Ferrari’s golden era with Michael Schumacher in the early 2000s, Todt believes Binotto just needs to cure the weakest areas.
“Now it’s a very strong organisation, very well settled,” he added.
“Probably some parts of the puzzle are not at the level they need to be where they are expecting to be, and, in a way, honestly, where Formula 1 needs them to be.”
Todt’s successor at Ferrari was current Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali and the Italian also wants the under pressure Binotto to be backed.
“We know each other very well, as you can imagine because Mattia worked with me,” he told Dutch magazine Formule 1.
“As a sign of respect, I don’t interfere at all with his decisions or with the team. I will not comment on that because I think it is wrong.
“He must be given the time and space to carry out his plans and because I’ve been in his shoes, I don’t want to intervene in any way. Only the people who work with the team on a daily basis know exactly what is going on.”
Commenting on Ferrari’s situation, however, the always outspoken Jacques Villeneuve believes the Scuderia shot themselves in the foot by releasing people like Aldo Costa and James Allison, both of whom then joined Mercedes.
“Ferrari could have been the Mercedes of today, but they let go of so many talented engineers,” the Canadian told Sky Italia.
“Most of all because they were not Italian and they all ended up there, on the other side.
“The team is facing extremely difficult times and it will take a lot for them to rise again,” he added.
“Maybe it will take at least two years. The most important thing is to get the best people on the team, regardless of their costs.
“The problem is not the fact that they are not winning but that they are so far behind technically.”